Yeom Je slumped down next to the Grand Advisor's seat and squeezed his eyes shut.
He wished that when he opened them, he would be in his own bed.
That all of this was just a nightmare from the night before.
But when he opened his eyes, the nightmare was right in front of him.
Geom Mugeuk's gaze, looking down at him, was calm.
But it was that very calmness and politeness that made it more terrifying.
Because with those clear eyes, he had killed all his subordinates.
He had killed them all while speaking politely.
Now it was his turn to fight.
But he felt no will to fight.
'So, this day has finally come.'
Yeom Je raised his voice in resentment.
"What grudge do you have against me? Are you doing this just because I skimmed a little money?"
As if he would kill them just for skimming some money.
Their evil deeds were so great that he had decided to kill them all from the moment he came here.
If he let them live and destiny unfolded as it was meant to, too many martial artists of the Martial Alliance would die in the process of subduing them.
Those who must die will die, and those who must not die will live.
The creed of his regression was being applied here in the Hundred Immortals Gang as well.
"It's money you can't take with you when you die, so why were you so greedy?"
Yeom Je looked down at the pool of blood and gritted his teeth.
That kind of talk was for losers.
It was something only those who couldn't make money would say.
What greater value could there be than money?
In the end, he spewed curses.
"You damned bastard! It's my money! All of it is my money! Whether I throw it around in the streets or fill my coffin with it, what business is it of yours!"
Geom Mugeuk saw the madness in his eyes.
He had lived his whole life this way, how could a few words make him repent?
Suddenly, he recalled what the Silver River Merchant Group Leader had said.
"I've seen too many people get so caught up in the fun of making money that they end up being devoured by it."
The one who had reached that extreme was this man, Yeom Je.
And he shouldn't be so brazen right now.
"It's not your money, is it?"
Struck to the core, Yeom Je gritted his teeth.
His only rebuttal was this:
"Who are you to say?"
The answer came immediately.
"How many times do I have to say it? I'm the one who came to collect the money."
He probably kept asking for this reason.
He was a man who lacked the very concept of repaying borrowed money.
"Open your personal vault."
If not for this purpose, he was a man not worth a single word of conversation.
"I told you, I don't have one."
Even though all ninety-nine of his subordinates were dead, he refused to open his personal vault.
He was a man who valued money more than his own life.
'How could I give up the money I worked so hard for?’
It was money earned by doing all sorts of things.
Beating, kidnapping, selling, and killing people.
Even if he was destined for hell, he had done everything to live well in this life.
He would rather die than give it up.
"I know your vault is here, in this great hall."
Yeom Je tried to act calm, but who could he fool? The sound of his heart beating was like thunder to Geom Mugeuk.
"Didn't you say it when you opened that vault? That the Hundred Immortals Gang's vault is in this place where you spend most of your time. Then your personal vault must be here too."
Geom Mugeuk pressed on, giving him no time to think.
"I'll find the money myself."
Geom Mugeuk drew his sword.
Just as he was about to cut him down without hesitation.
"I'll open it! Spare me!"
Geom Mugeuk's sword stopped mid-air.
Even so, Geom Mugeuk didn't miss it.
Yeom Je spoke as if he had given up, but a venomous glint that knew no surrender flashed in his eyes.
"You're right. The vault is here."
Yeom Je stood up and walked to the back.
He entered the empty vault that had been opened earlier and felt the ceiling.
It was a plain wall with no visible mechanism, but a hidden device was there.
Jiiiiing.
A section of the vault's inner wall opened, revealing an abacus.
This vault was a disguise to hide the real one.
A double vault.
The money and gold bars in the first vault were mechanisms and guards to protect the real vault.
Dazzled by the money and gold here, no one would think another vault lay behind it.
Yeom Je flicked the beads on the abacus.
It was an intricate mechanism that would only open if the correct numbers were entered.
"Can't get even one number wrong."
For some reason, he let Geom Mugeuk watch as he entered the numbers on the abacus.
Three, two, four.
And before sliding up the last number, Yeom Je spoke abruptly with his back turned.
"I know you won't spare me even if I open this."
Yeom Je turned to look at Geom Mugeuk, a meaningful glint in his smiling eyes.
He slid the last abacus bead up.
The number was four.
At that very moment.
Chiiiiiiik.
Smoke sprayed down from the ceiling where the two stood.
By intentionally entering the wrong number, a mechanism designed for intruders released a poisonous smoke.
Within the poisonous smoke, Yeom Je laughed and spoke.
"The last number wasn't four, it was three."
He said with an exceptionally venomous gaze.
"It's the most painful poison in the world. You'll suffer the agony of all your internal organs melting. Anyone who covets my money deserves to die in hellish pain!"
He burst into laughter, which quickly turned into a scream of agony.
A truly terrible pain washed over him, but it was alright.
He was going to die anyway, so he could take the bastard with him.
'Let's die together, you bastard!'
Writhing in pain, he looked at Geom Mugeuk.
The last sight of this world he would take in would be Geom Mugeuk writhing in agony.
But the expected scene was not there.
'What?’
Geom Mugeuk was still standing in the same spot, looking at him silently.
'Why?'
He had clearly been doused in the poisonous smoke along with him, yet he seemed to be looking at him with a mix of ridicule and pity.
He was confused.
Truly, even amid the extreme pain of his body melting, he was curious.
Why wasn't he dying?
Just as he was about to draw his last breath, Geom Mugeuk's voice reached his ears.
"You said the last number was three?"
Hearing those words, Yeom Je screamed.
'No!'
He had shown him the numbers, thinking they would die together.
But what now?
'It's my money! That's my money!'
In more agony from the fact that his money was being taken than from the pain of his organs melting, he breathed his last.
Until the moment of his death, he died a slave to money.
Geom Mugeuk left the fallen corpse behind and entered the correct numbers on the abacus.
The hidden vault then opened.
Inside the vault, only stacks of promissory notes were piled up.
The notes were all high-value promissory notes issued by the Three Great Continental Treasuries of the Central Plains.
They were prepared so he could grab them and leave at any moment.
Geom Mugeuk took them all and left the place.
He didn't spare a single glance for Yeom Je's corpse.
As always, he placed no meaning on the deaths of evil men.
Splash, splash.
In his life, he let them flow away like the blood beneath his feet.
Geum Ah-rin paced anxiously around the courtyard.
Waiting in her room was so suffocating that she couldn't stay still.
"Should I go check now?"
To her words, Im Hyeok, who stood a short distance away, answered firmly.
"You must not."
It was his duty to protect Geum Ah-rin, so he would never accept such a thing.
"He might die."
"Even so, you must not."
After a brief pause, Im Hyeok added.
"Young Swordsman Geom will be fine."
Yes, she thought so too.
If it weren't for one thing.
"But his opponent is the Hundred Immortals Gang."
The answer that came to Im Hyeok's mind.
'Yes, even if his opponent is the Hundred Immortals Gang.'
Yet, he didn't say it, probably to protect Geum Ah-rin's heart.
In case she got her hopes up for nothing...
Just then, the metallic scent of blood drifted in on the wind.
Im Hyeok leaped forward and stood in front of Geum Ah-rin.
The smell of blood grew stronger and stronger.
The gate opened, and a person entered the inner courtyard.
"You?"
For a moment, Geum Ah-rin couldn't say a word.
The person who entered was Geom Mugeuk.
His clothes and body were soaked in blood.
"Are you hurt?"
At her surprised question, Geom Mugeuk staggered over, clutched his chest, and sat down on a rock.
"I have one last request. If I die, please tell my father. This son went to a place of death to collect money at a woman's request and..."
"That's not funny, you can stop."
"Was it obvious?"
Of course, his acting was so exaggerated that she could see through it instantly.
But even if his acting had been truly realistic, she felt she wouldn't have been fooled.
Because this man seemed like he wouldn't leave any last words when he died.
He seemed like the type to lean against a small rock, gaze at the windy plains with those clear eyes, and die quietly.
She had never thought about it before, but seeing him pretend to die made her think that.
She belatedly felt a sense of relief.
"You've returned safely."
"Were you worried?"
Geum Ah-rin didn't answer, but he could feel how anxiously she had been waiting.
"Here, take this."
Geom Mugeuk took a handful of envelopes from the leather pouch he was wearing.
"What is this?"
"It's the money that needed to be collected from the Hundred Immortals Gang. Go and return it."
The envelopes had the names of merchant groups and sects written on them.
Among them was an envelope with the Golden Dragon Clan's name.
When she checked inside, there was a promissory note for one and a half million Nyang.
Geum Ah-rin's eyes widened.
"You really collected all the money?"
"It's the amount after taking half, as promised."
She had just wished for Geom Mugeuk to return safely.
Just come back safely, you don't have to bring the money, just come back safely—that's what she had fervently prayed for.
And he had brought all the money?
"What happened to the Hundred Immortals Gang?"
To her trembling question came a shocking answer.
"The Hundred Immortals Gang no longer exists in this world."
Awestruck, Geum Ah-rin couldn't say a word.
Im Hyeok, standing behind her, was also wide-eyed in astonishment.
Of course, that must have been what happened for him to have collected the money, but hearing it directly made his heart pound.
He single-handedly wiped out the Hundred Immortals Gang?
Was that really possible?
Then, Geom Mugeuk held out another envelope.
"This is money from my share."
Looking at the amount, it was an unexpectedly large sum.
"I don't need it."
"I'm not giving it for you to spend."
"Then?"
"There must be merchant groups or residents living difficult lives because of the Hundred Immortals Gang's tyranny."
Of course, there were plenty of such people.
"You help them with this money."
Geum Ah-rin was startled.
After staring at Geom Mugeuk for a moment, she asked cautiously.
"Why are you asking me to do it? You could do it yourself, couldn't you?"
Then he could take all the credit for the good deed.
"Didn't you ask me to make you the successor? I'm keeping that promise."
"What do you mean?"
"By returning the money to each merchant group, your reputation will greatly increase. If you also help those in need, you'll be one step closer to the position of successor."
Geum Ah-rin was speechless for a moment.
"Even I, the person involved, hadn't thought of that."
Then came an unexpected reply from Geom Mugeuk.
"That's why I think you are worthy of becoming the successor."
"What?"
"Because that ambition of yours is still pure."
Geum Ah-rin looked at Geom Mugeuk for a moment before revealing her honest feelings.
"That ambition will soon be tainted."
"If our connection continues, at least it won't be tainted."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Because I'll introduce you to my friends. For their positions, they are quite pure. If you spend time with them, you'll think, 'Those people are pure, so what about me?'"
For their positions? Who on earth was he talking about?
Geom Mugeuk had been an extraordinary person from the moment she met him, but the more she got to know him, the more mysterious he seemed.
"You hired me for a high price, so I should at least do this much for you."
Despite having done something worth boasting about all day, Geom Mugeuk left the place right away.
Geum Ah-rin looked down at the envelopes Geom Mugeuk had given her and muttered to herself.
"I thought so too."
Now, she had a different thought.
Had she hired him for far too cheap a price?
I placed two envelopes on the table.
"I will divide the money earned from this job equally as well."
After checking the amount of money in the envelope, my father looked at me.
He was surprised by the unexpectedly large sum.
"He had amassed quite a fortune. It was originally more, but I arranged for some of it to be used for those who have suffered."
Hwi said cautiously.
"The money I received before is more than enough for me."
Of course, I had expected Hwi to say that.
"If you keep it, you'll surely have a use for it later."
"No, I don't need it. Please give it to the Cult Master."
I persuaded him as he still looked troubled.
"You need to prepare for when you no longer have the strength to wield a sword. You should travel too. You've been an escort your whole life, so then, you should have an escort martial artist of your own, Uncle. A very expensive one."
I could tell from Hwi's expression that he had never once considered such a thing in his entire life.
Father looked at me with an expression that said, 'You're being cheeky,' then spoke to Hwi.
"Take it."
"Yes, Cult Master."
Hwi also took the envelope.
"Then I will accept it gratefully. I will use this money for my juniors."
He meant he would use it for the junior guards of the Heavenly Demon Hall.
"No! This is for your retirement, Uncle!"
At that, Hwi gave a faint smile and asked me.
"Young Cult Master, you won't be using that money for yourself either, will you?"
Hwi knew.
He knew that I would invest all the money I earned this time into Silver Moon and the Ghost Shadow Branch.
"Well, I'm still young. Preparing for retirement is..."
"Something you start when you're young."
Seeing Hwi say something like that made me feel good.
You all lived a life as rigid as ten-thousand-year cold iron, so in this life, please live softly and joyfully.
Just then, my father asked me abruptly.
"Are you okay?"
Those words struck me right in the heart.
My father had asked the same thing last time.
Even with so much blood on my hands, was my heart okay?
It seemed I couldn't completely wash away the scent of blood, even though I had cleaned up and changed my clothes.
I took a moment to examine my own heart, my own feelings.
"I think I'm okay."
My father probably doesn't know.
How much strength his simple question of "Are you okay?" gives me.
And at this moment, I felt that the important thing wasn't to answer whether I was okay or not.
"If things ever get difficult later, I will be sure to tell you, Father."
Conveying the feeling that a son relies on his father—that was far more important.
"I'm pushing forward with this matter, trusting only in you, Father."
"What will you do if they find out we've come?"
I thought that didn't matter in its own way.
"Well, if things get twisted, I'm sure you'll untangle them, Father. Didn't I tell you on the way here? We need to show them at least once, those who plot and scheme from the shadows. That you, Father, are here in this martial world."
This wasn't simple flattery; it was sincere.
That was why, on this first trip into the martial world with my father, this was the message I would deliver to them.
"If you have the confidence, then come out and face us."